


The Spear of Justice Prevails

by Ononymous



Series: Christmas 2018 Stories and Requests [10]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Gen, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 16:05:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17287190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: For Undyne, victory was not how she imagined it.





	The Spear of Justice Prevails

**Author's Note:**

> Original Request: Undyne kills Pacifist Frisk during her boss fight and has to deal with the consequences it has on her relationship with Monster Kid, Papyrus, Alphys, and Asgore.

"Yo, Undyne! Hey Undyne, there you- Oop- _Mph!_ "

Dirt filled his vision, the cost of his haste that he'd already paid several times that day. His shoulders were prepared however, and with a great heave he dislodged his face from where it had been momentarily stuck, and sprang up so fast he had to use his tail to stop him toppling backwards the other way. A vigorous shake cleared the remaining dirt and revealed who he'd been hailing. The broad black armour stopped walking, its red hair fluttering in the hot breeze coming from the nearby lava, back still presented to him.

"What is it, kid?" There was little patience in her voice.

"I'm glad I found you alone," said Monsterkid, "maybe you'll listen. Look, I think that maybe... you should leave the human alone."

There was a slight metallic noise as one of her hands clenched into a fist. "Kid... that ain't possible."

"I thought you might feel like that," he said, confirming one scenario he'd planned out in his head, "and I've got the perfect argument. See, when we were all at the bridge, I was talking to them and-"

"You're wasting your time. Now go home before I call Flopsy or someone to carry you home."

"C'mon, Undyne! I know they got to me first when I was about to fall, but isn't that proof that maybe not all humans are turds? Next time you see 'em, maybe you should invite them to your house."

" **Look, dammit, I** -" her loose hand rose to her face. "You can't do anything. Not now."

"Why not? I get we've been told humans are dangerous but-"

Undyne finally turned around to face him, and both of them were basked in red light.

"Dude, what the heck is that?"

"What do you think it is?!"

"So... so that's what a soul looks like?"

"...yeah, seems so."

"Where'd you get it-" his eyes widened in startled realisation. "Oh..."

"Yeah, 'oh'." Her face finally split into a smile as she tightened her grip on the glass jar. "We're all safe now. Better than safe."

"You mean the King's finally gonna break the barrier...?"

"Yup!" Her grin beamed at him, though it had litle effect. "Jeez, lighten up a little."

"Well, it's cool and all, I've read a lot about that 'sun' thing in school, but... The human was pretty cool too. Kinda sucks they're gone."

Her smile twisted into a snarl. "It was way too dangerous to let them run amok."

"They didn't really run, though? More like a steady marching pace-"

"Don't be a smartass! I couldn't risk anyone getting hurt. And that includes you. It's better this way"

His tail scratched his chin. "I kinda get that, but I really don't think we were in trouble. Just their whole vibe since I met them in Snowdin. I mean they even kept a statue dry."

"Good for them," she snarked. "But it had to be done. Otherwise we'd still be trapped."

"Well why not just wait until they get old and-"

"Don't criticize Royal Policy! You wouldn't get it anyway, you're too young." Those words rang odd in Undyne's ears.

"...sure, dude, whatever. Still kinda bummed out."

"Don't see why you would be." Words and tone didn't completely match. "Now don't go telling anyone until Asgore makes an announcement, but if you wanna pack or something, go for it."

"Okay, I guess." He complied as one subject to her authority rather than as a fan. "See you around." He turned and headed back into Waterfall.

* * *

Something about Sans' snoring as she passed the snow-laden hot dog made her feel under scrutiny, while she remained determined not to lose one of the seven most valuable objects in the Underground. She didn't get far into Hotland. Even without exerting very hard the heat was too oppressive, and even though her destination wasn't far, she felt like taking a break at the water cooler. The time for bold action was gone. Steady progress to her destination was more important.

"HELLO, UNDYNE!"

Her head jerked up in surprise, consumed by her thoughts. "Papyrus! Hey dude, what's up?"

"I'M SO GLAD I FOUND YOU ALONE. I WAS THINKING FOR A WHILE, AND I'VE DECIDED I SHOULD INTRODUCE YOU TO MY FRIEND!"

A weary sigh barely rode above the sound of flowing lava. "Papyrus, if this is about the human, I-"

"THE HUMAN? OH NOT AT ALL, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF ASSOCIATING YOU WITH THAT IRASCIBLE FOE OF ALL MONSTERS. I MEAN AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, ENTIRELY MONSTER-Y FRIEND."

She perked up with interest. "Oh? What kind of monster?"

"A RATHER... _HUMAN-LY ONE_. THE RESEMBLANCE IS UNCANNY!"

She snorted, amused despite everything. "I don't have time, Pap. I gotta get this to Asgore." She presented the jar to him.

"WOWIE, THAT FEELS VERY POWERFUL! AND ALSO A LITTLE... SAD? WELL, IF THE KING NEEDS IT, I SHALLN'T IMPEDE YOU. I WISH YOU COULD HAVE MET MY FRIEND-"

Undyne began to get to her feet. "Papyrus," she snapped, "I met the human, okay?!"

"YOU DID?" He was nakedly excited. "HOW DELIGHTFUL! WHAT DID YOU THINK?"

"Don't you get it? When we met I... I..." Her determination to drag that cheerful smile into reality faltered. "I thought they were pretty cool. They told me they were going on holiday, might be for a long time."

"AH, THAT'S WHY THEY STOPPED ANSWERING MY CALLS. WELL DON'T FRET, I WON'T BOTHER THEM WHILE THEY'RE HAVING FUN. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DELIVERY, UNDYNE."

He marched back across the bridge over the lava. Undyne caught him halting to remonstrate Sans once again. His words lingered with her, his description of the soul. That must be what was gnawing at her. Yep, just the soul.

* * *

The automated doors slid open. "Hey, Doc!"

A fork clattered onto a computer desk. "Oh, C-Captain Undyne! You made it. Bring it over here a m-moment."

"Bring what, I..." Undyne looked over to the large monitor where the back of her own head was displayed. "Oh. Guess you saw it all, huh?"

"...yeah. I'm g-glad you're okay, but I n-need to run some tests to make sure everything's f-fine."

"What isn't fine, Alphys? We did it. _I_ did it! It won't be long before I can take a swim in the sun or something. Hell, even just punching a rock on the surface will be amazing! Yep, everything's fine."

She deposited the jar next to the half-eaten instant noodles. Alphys grabbed an instrument of some sort from a drawer and began to scan the soul.

"...pneumointegrity within standard parameters, you g-got it preserved fast... W-Wow, the DT levels are really high, even f-for a human... lots of magical e-energy, that's normal, but no evidence they ever tapped into it, j-just like the others..."

Undyne grew impatient again. "What's the prognosis, doctor? We good?"

"...yes. This and the other six sh-should do it." It was a professional statement. Too professional.

"Then why aren't you more excited?"

"Oh, I am! There'll be s-so much to read and watch on the s-surface! But... I f-followed them with the camera network since th-they left the Ruins and... I dunno, you p-pay that much attention to someone, y-you start to root for them..."

"Oh God, can you please not do this too?" hissed Undyne.

"What?"

"Feels like everyone I've met on the way here is all 'Hey, the human wasn't that bad', and I don't get it! They were our enemy. Why can't anybody remember that?"

"B-b-b-b-but they didn't d-d-d-d-do anything-"

"They could have! It could have been a ruse! Everyone's acting like they were Santa Claus, coming with toys! They were just another stinking human, so stop trying to make me feel like the bad guy here!"

"W-w-we're not!"

A fist banged on the desk, and the jar trembled. "Could have fooled me! You, Papyrus, that kid, you're all just condemning me for obeying Asgore. Hell, the human's still doing it right now, can't you feel it?!"

"F-f-feel it?" Alphys picked up the jar and examined it closely. "I c-can feel its power, but no e-emotions."

"But Papyrus said he could feel it! They must be able to share their emotions when their physical matter's taken away, right? Why else would I feel how sad they are about all this?"

"Undyne... h-human souls don't work that way. P-Papyrus was wrong. You'd have to a-absorb it to feel anything."

They stood in silence for a long while.

"...it doesn't matter now, anyway," said Undyne, "what's done is done. Please stop force-feeding me guilt about it."

"And p-please don't r-rip off my head."

"No promises." Her smile returned, though much smaller than before. "Mind if I stash my armour with you? Gotta go through Hotland to reach him."

"That's a b-bad idea. Every monster from here to N-New Home will bug you about the soul. Hey, I have an e-elevator in my, um, my bathroom. Should shoot straight to the c-castle and let you skip all that.."

"Oh, really? That's cool I guess. Still taking off my armour, my gills need air."

"Th-that sounds unhealthy-"

"You know what I mean."

"S-sorry, I just... everything's d-different now, isn't it?"

"Yeah. So what floor am I going to?"

"Press t-the little crown. Oh, and d-don't press 'L', that's th-the lower level and that's where- where, um, nothing i-interesting is. Just a w-waste of time going there."

Undyne didn't pick up on the odd instruction. "Crown, got it."

A few minutes later, Undyne was in jeans and a tank top, her armour stowed on Alphys' dusty workbench upstairs. Alphys sat as she took it off, clearly in her own thoughts. To Undyne it felt like Sans, like she was being scrutinised, though now she was less certain about its source. The two returned to the bathroom elevator, and Alphys handed her the glowing jar.

"Talk to you later, Doctor." The door closed.

* * *

It must have been a beautiful day outside. The birdsong wafted lazily from where the sunlight was descending onto the flowers. There he stood, tending to them, humming an old nursery tune not unlike the old memorial statue. Even with his back to her, he looked at peace. She stood in the doorway of the throne room in silence, just watching him. Wanting it to never happen but to get it over with. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room proper, approaching the throne.

"Hmm? Is someone there?" he asked. "Just a moment, I am watering these flowers." With a final jiggle, he put the pink can down and turned to face her. "Howdy! What can I..."

He didn't step back in surprise, but he didn't walk towards her either. His eyes were transfixed on the scarlet beacon she carried. There was really nowhere else he could have looked.

"...Oh," he said.

"I know you were to be alerted about intruders like this, sir," she stated, businesslike, "but there was no time. Here it is."

Now he walked towards her, still looking nowhere else but the jar. Mechanically she offered it, and mechanically he took it from her. At last its siren call released its grip and he placed it reverently on the throne.

"Doctor Alphys has already examined it, seems to be in good condition. So, are you going to do it now? Or should we make plans for operations on the surface first, give everyone time to get ready?"

"Both can wait," he said, "something is more important."

"Huh? What's more important than breaking the barrier?"

"Captain... Undyne... are you alright?"

She felt bewildered. "What kind of question is that, Asgore? I'm fine, see? Not a scratch."

"I can see that. But still I must ask. Are you alright?"

"We've got the final soul and we're going to be free, why wouldn't I be?"

Large furry hands rested on her shoulders, and his posture sagged. "...because you know, now. How it feels."

His earlier question was recontextualised, and there was no need for argument. "Yeah, I do," she whispered. "If I'm honest? It sucks. They... they didn't even try to fight back. It was easier than I thought. But they got their sting in after all, didn't they? Ha ha, I can still feel it. It's like a poison in my mind. My soul, even."

"Yes, it is. I failed to protect you from it. P-please forgive an old fool."

"There's nothing to forgive," she insisted, "I chose to do this. And... you aren't alone anymore, Asgore. Not really. Because yeah, I know now. You don't have to bear it alone."

From their forward base his hands wrapped around her, and she found herself in a hug. As if by royal decree, she stopped fighting the turmoil of what she had done, and let it wash over her. She found his embrace trembling, and it occured to her he was weeping. And with a cold wet feeling running down her right cheek, she realised she was too. Her usual instinct to seize on her anger was ignored. In front of him, for him, she could cry. When they finally broke apart, the sunlight from outside was much reduced.

"Who else knows about this, besides Doctor Alphys?"

"I don't know if Papyrus does, but Sans definitely does. Oh, and a kid from Snowdin, but I told him to zip it until you gave word."

"Very well. One more day, I think. I shall prepare a spare bed in my house, you may rest there. This..." He regarded his hands. "I do not know if those feelings can ever be excised, but you should rest, let your mind unwind from what happened. You've done your duty, you've earned that if nothing else. We shall act in the morning."

"Okay," she said, utterly compliant. "One day more. Then we're gonna be free."

"...Yes. I shall secure this," he said, retrieving the soul, "help yourself to some biscuits in my kitchen while I do so."

"Sounds good. See you soon."

She left the throne room. Asgore left by the other direction, towards the barrier, finally equipped to vanquish it after centuries. But not yet. _Have a nice evening with Undyne_ , he thought, _make sure she sleeps, then do it._ Could it ever have been only the seven? He doubted it, expecting they were only the prelude, and at last he had no excuse for delay. If the humans took his appearance as hostile, he would fulfill the final duty to protect his kind, whatever that took. His people would not have to endure what Undyne now did. What he did after that, even he didn't know. It all weighed heavily on his heart, as if something extra was applying pressure.

But not yet. He was needed elsewhere right now. To listen to the young lady he'd trained since her childhood. To impart comfort and advice, in case he never could again. One more day of peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
